Rapha and Team Sky are to go their separate ways at the end of the 2016 season, with the London-based clothing business confirming that their four year deal will not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2016.
The news that the business would no longer be clothing the likes of Chris Froome -both of his Tour de France wins have come in Rapha kit – was confirmed today in an open letter from the company’s founder and CEO, Simon Mottram.
He said: “After reflection and discussion, both Rapha and Team Sky have decided not to renew our Partnership beyond the current four-year deal, which concludes at the end of the 2016 season.
“For the next year Rapha will focus on the Research and Development projects that are already in progress with the team.
“With several special new products due to be released in 2016, we now look forward to an exciting final season with Team Sky and celebrating the Partnership in style,” he added.
15 thoughts on “Rapha and Team Sky to part ways at end of 2016”
will they keep bioracer
will they keep bioracer making their skinsuits i wonder?
Rapha have achieved huge
Rapha have achieved huge growth over the past few years, that four year sponsorship deal will be referenced as a case study for years!
Golden triangle, British brand , British team, British success.
Rapha want USA business, so I’d expect to see a popular US based UCI World tour team lined up already for 2017 season. (Who is Taylor Phinney with next year?) Sky incidentaly are more international than ever before also.
The deal has done it’s time now, I’m sure sales of team sky kit at full rrp have nosedived for various reasons.
Good luck to both. It leaves an oppertunity for someone to fill – who’s the next British brand, British(ish) team, British success. story?
Now Rapha can go back to
Now Rapha can go back to supporting an actual British team like Condor 😉
Milltag or Morvelo for Team
Milltag or Morvelo for Team Sky deal?
jarderich wrote:
Doubt it – reckon it’ll almost certainly be a another “aspirational” brand like Assos or Castelli
Will Rapha stick with Team
Will Rapha stick with Team Wiggins?
Will Team Wiggins exist after Rio?
How about Endura to replace
How about Endura to replace Rapha, they currently do Movistar
How about Endura to replace
Double post 🙁
If the Vuelta was any
If the Vuelta was any indication, the most exciting rider in the next few years is going to be Tom Dumoulin, especially if he switches from Giant to a nimbler outfit like Movistar. If he rides the classics next year, he’d be perfect Rapha material.
Interesting news
Interesting news
Seems to coincide with Rapha withdrawing from supplying existing retailers with stock after this Winter.
From what I’ve been directly told, they will only be retailing through their own “club houses”, currently at 8 globally and another 2 to open next year.
For one retailer (a well known road specialist) its their #2 selling clothing brand….quite a dent for them, interested to see if customers take the trip to Rapha in Soho, London or switch to buying another brand from the same retailer (whose shop is stuffed full of very nice high end kit)
Or can clothing be sold to these customers through the Rapha website? Surely clothing needs to be tried in person, especially when spending top dollar
hampstead_bandit wrote:
Wouldn’t be surprised if they were going via their own retail model, keeps the brand aspirational as they grow. I’ve only ever bought from them online (as have most riding pals who buy Rapha) so I’m sure it won’t be an issue. It helps that the service is top notch, simple returns etc.
hampstead_bandit wrote:
I tend to buy all my clothing online (cycling or otherwise) and have doen so with Rapha. Easy returns and fast delivery make it less of a chore if something doesn’t fit. It’s about service I guess.
I wonder if Rapha’s relationship with Team Sky almost had a negative effect on its perception among those with the cash to spend on it. They want something exclusive and hard to obtain, not something that ‘anyone’ can have through team ‘lookalike’ kit. It bought the exclusive into the mainstream and while that’s great for short term growth, it’s not necessarily great for Rapha’s brand positioning, This as much as the quality of its clothes, has been the key to success.
tombourne wrote:
I half jokingly wondered that too, all us team sky top wearers with our non italian styled body shapes slowly diluting the brand
but I dont think they are that up their own fundamentals to pull that kind of move,it was a good partnership that worked exceedingly well for them I think, and I remember from one of Ned Boultings books, how much effort he described Simon Mottram put in, just to set the deal up in the first place, that letter feels almost melancholy in tone, yes we will continue to do some things but we cant tell you about them yet, errr ok then, whilst Skys response has been limited to less than 140chars long on their twitter account simply reconfirming things.
has David Millars clothing line launched yet…
hampstead_bandit wrote:
You’d think so, wouldn’t you? I think most retailers and retail analysts did, too. But in the bike world, at least, clothing is the area that is dying fastest in the shops and growing fastest online.
Rapha to sponsor MTN-Qhubeka
Rapha to sponsor MTN-Qhubeka/Dimension Data? I quite fancy a Rapha outfit with zebra stripes all over rather than just one on the arm…..
With Cavendish there I might be putting my allegences over to M-Q/DD any way!